The rivalry between two foremost Yoruba monarchs, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has flared up again over the conferment of the title Okanlomo of Yorubaland.
The controversy followed the Ooni’s decision to honour Ibadan businessman and philanthropist, Chief Dotun Sanusi, with the prestigious title at a ceremony in Ile-Ife.
Reacting, the Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the conferment, insisting that only the Oyo throne has the authority to bestow a title covering the entire Yorubaland.
In a statement by his media director, Bode Durojaiye, Oba Owoade argued that “titles of political weight such as Okanlomo of Yorubaland are within the exclusive preserve of the Alaafin of Oyo,” citing a Supreme Court judgment to back his claim. He warned that failure to comply would attract consequences, stressing that the Ooni’s jurisdiction is limited to Ife and its environs.
The Ooni’s camp has, however, dismissed the ultimatum as “empty,” with his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, describing the Alaafin’s threat as laughable. He said the Ooni would not dignify the warning with a formal reply, adding that the matter should be left for public judgment.
The development has divided opinion across Yorubaland. Some traditional rulers and community leaders in Ibadan defended the Ooni’s action, noting that Sanusi had been recognised with the title years ago without objection from the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. Others have urged caution, warning that such disputes could undermine unity among Yoruba monarchs.
The clash revives the age-old supremacy tussle between Oyo and Ife—two thrones central to Yoruba history, with Ife regarded as the spiritual cradle and Oyo as the seat of political authority.
